What are G4 countries and why do they demand UNSC reforms?

• Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar met the Foreign Ministers of Brazil, Germany and Japan on the margins of the 81st session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. 

Who are the G4 Members?

• Composition: The G4 countries are Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan.

• Primary Goal: Their main objective is to gain permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

• Mutual Support: These four countries support each other’s bids for a permanent seat on the UNSC.

• Historical Presence: All four nations have frequently been elected as non-permanent members of the UNSC since the UN was established.

• Regular Meetings: The G4 nations traditionally meet on the sidelines of the annual high-level UN General Assembly session.

Understanding the current UNSC structure

• Permanent Members (P5): The UNSC currently has five permanent members: Russia, the UK, China, France, and the United States.

• Veto Power: These five countries hold the power to veto any substantive resolution.

• Non-Permanent Members: There are 10 non-permanent members elected for a two-year term by the UN General Assembly.

• India’s Position: The government of India considers obtaining permanent membership in an expanded UNSC a top priority and is actively building international support for its case.

Why do the G4 countries call for UNSC reforms?

The G4 ministers argue that UNSC reform is more necessary than ever for the following reasons:

• Ineffectiveness: The UNSC is currently unable to effectively fulfil its primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security.

• Outdated Structure: The council’s architecture is anachronistic, based on the geopolitical realities of eight decades ago, and is not suitable for dealing with contemporary challenges.

• Lack of Representation: The current structure questions the UNSC’s representativeness, legitimacy, and credibility. It fails to reflect modern geopolitical realities.

• Need for Inclusivity: The G4 emphasizes the need for better representation of underrepresented regions like Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

• Expansion is Key: They believe the expansion of the UNSC in both permanent and non-permanent categories is essential for any meaningful reform.